


Safe

by FloreatCastellum



Series: Missing Hogwarts Moments [25]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Break Up, F/M, Pining, Short, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:34:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum
Summary: Harry tells Ron and Hermione that he has broken up with Ginny.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Series: Missing Hogwarts Moments [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1407286
Comments: 18
Kudos: 187





	Safe

The train started with a judder, and the three of them watched silently as the castle shrank and disappeared from view. It hit him like grief - he wondered if he would ever see it again at all. He tried not to think about it, instead reaching his fingers through Hedwig’s cage to stroke the soft feathers on her head. She hooted mournfully up at him. 

‘Where’s Ginny?’ Ron asked. 

'I saw her with Neville and Luna,’ said Hermione. 'I expect they’ll be joining us soon, so we need to agree on what-’

'She won’t,’ said Harry heavily. 'Ginny won’t be joining us soon.' 

Ron and Hermione had frozen in confusion. 'Did you argue?’ asked Ron, with a slight edge to his voice.

Harry looked back down at Hedwig. 'No.' 

'Well what have you done then?’ asked Ron coldly. 

Harry swallowed slightly - he had a jolting feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he pressed his lips together tightly as Hedwig leaned into his fingers. 'I… I ended it with her,’ he said, finding to his surprise that his voice was a little hoarse. There was a long silence. He didn’t dare look at either of them, just kept his gaze fixed on Hedwig’s amber eyes. 

'Why?’ he heard Ron growl dangerously. 

Still he didn’t look. Hedwig nipped affectionately at his fingers. 'I don’t want Voldemort finding out I’ve got a girlfriend,’ he said. 'You know he’d come after her, he’s done it before.' 

'Harry,’ gasped Hermione. 'You don’t need to punish your-’

'I’m not punishing myself,’ said Harry quickly, finally looking up to see her appalled expression. 'He’d use her, Hermione. Like he used Sirius.’

'What was the point in any of it then?’ shot Ron harshly. 'He’s always been after you, you must have known-’

'Yes, I know,’ muttered Harry. 'It was stupid - I was stupid to think that…’ He looked back at Hedwig, trying to ignore the fantasy images pelting through his mind. They could have enjoyed a summer together at the Burrow, flying in the orchard and laughing over dinner, celebrating their birthdays and dancing at the wedding. They would have gone back to school and had Hogsmeade visits, and bought each other Christmas presents, and mucked about at Quidditch practice. All that normal stuff that normal couples did, that he should have known, years ago, he could never have. He had been a fool to tease himself with it, to give himself something to miss, to live that other person’s life that he was never entitled to. 'She understands,’ he said hollowly. 'She didn’t… there was no argument. She knows what he is, what he would do.' 

He couldn’t bare to look at them, he was sure they were silently mouthing at each other, sure that Ron was struggling with his own conflicting feelings. But Ginny had understood at once. They alone had shared the intricate, dark depths of Voldemort’s mind, they knew him perhaps better than anyone now that Dumbledore had died. It was a mark of that knowledge that she hadn’t argued, or tried to convince him otherwise, or put him through the agony of her begging or crying. 

'As long as it’s not some stupid reason,’ said Ron at last. 'Like some other girl or-’

'No of course not,’ snapped Harry. To his credit, Ron looked rather chastened. 

'As long as she’s safe,’ he said, and Harry nodded. 

'Harry,’ said Hermione carefully, 'Everyone knows you were dating though, the whole school was talking about it.’

'Yeah,’ he said bluntly. 'Can you talk to her? The pair of you need to spread some rumours about me, I think.’

'Rumours?' 

'So that no one thinks I… So that they know it’s over,’ he said firmly. 'Girls talk, don’t they? Just- I don’t know, just say nasty things about me, make sure no one thinks I care.' 

'All right,’ she said quietly. 'Are you OK?’

No, he wanted to say. No, I want a hug, and I want it from Ginny. 'Yeah, fine,’ he said instead. 'Can we talk about something else?’

There was a long pause. 'Tonks and Remus, eh?’ said Ron loudly. 'Who’d have thought it?' 

'Yes, it explains a lot, doesn’t it?’ said Hermione quickly. 'I wonder when-’

Harry sank into the inane chatter, trying to ignore his growing feeling that he would give anything in the world for Ginny to come into their compartment.


End file.
